Saturday, October 28, 2006
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
HE RESCUED US!
As we approach another Election Day, those who run for office will promise to make changes that will be of benefit to each one of us. But you may be certain of one thing, if anything happens that might be considered good, some politician somewhere will take credit for it. It is an irritating quality, but most every politician knows how to take credit for someone else's work or someone else's legislation.
Surely nothing angers and saddens God more than when men again try to take the credit for His Gift and for the work of His Son! Their words are familiar: "I've made my decision for Christ." "I chose Jesus as my personal Savior." "One night I just turned my life over to Jesus." "I gave myself to Him!" "I reached out for Christ." These statements seem so good until we notice how prominent is the "I". Dear Christians, there is no "I" in mercy, no "I" in grace. Jesus decided to save you from your sins. He chose you to be His own child and heir. He gave Himself, His life for you, because you were dead in sins. He reached out and grasped you by the arm and redeemed you. As it is written: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
Can you imagine Simon Peter, dripping wet after having been fished out of the Sea of Galilee by Jesus, returning to the boat boasting: "Did you see me help Him! Did you see me grab His hand?" Dear Christians, there is no "U" in faith. Saving faith, which trusts in the merits of Christ alone, is itself a gift of God. It is the bridge created by God to close the gap between God's grace and mankind. Faith in Jesus Christ is the hand that God creates into which He places the forgiveness of sins.
No man has the right to boast, except in Christ Jesus. So let our motto be that of St. Paul: ". . . God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14).
